The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-11-11

"Alas, poor Yorick knew him, Ho-
ratio" soliloquized Deputy Appraiser
Hoffman, Of Philadelphia, as he stool
among the bales and boxes in tn, APP
praiser's store, time stained human
skull in one hand and his writing blet
and pencil in the other. This little piece
OF drama was enacted by Mr.. Hoffman as
he conducted the examination OF so ne
thirty odd cases of curiosties and relics
sent home by United States naval Ulcers
attached to the South Pacific Squadron.
They came to this port last week by
the bark Itonus, from Pisaqua, Chill, anil
were sent to the Appraisers store ior
examination. The boxes were consigned
TO relatives and trends of the officers in
Washington, and their contents repre-
sented the accumulated collections OF ex-
tended cruises among the islands of the
South Pacific Ocean, with many curious
articles gathered on the Peruvian AMI
Chilian coasts.
The Yorick OF Mr.. Hoffman's fanciful
Imagination was probably dusky heath
en- with a weakn ess for tender mission
aries when well served, and guilty of no
more Indebtedness to his tailor than was
Father Adam. He was evidently old
when he passed into spirit land, as the
few teeth remaining in his jaw were worn
down nearly to their roots. And then
his jaw itself was of the kind that might
have furnished formidable weapon for
smal-sized Samson. There was whole
box of these cast-otf and dried-up heads,
but none of them had their business card
attached to show where they lived when
at home. SoWe of the skulls were
curiously marked by deeply carved lines
some parallel and running back from tho
center OF the forehead, while others con-
verged from the temples to the center OF
the top.
SKULLS on KInos.
"Here's Royalty for YOU" was the COM
ment Of the Deputy as he dragged out
three skulls strung upon cord, and he
read from tag; "Skulls Of kings OF the
Easter Islands,"
There was lot of stuff from the. Easter
and Friendly Islands, but none OF the
articles partook of the Christian attributes
OF the names of those far-away islands.
There were curiously-carved and formid-
able-looking war-clubs, made OF hand
some wood and deeply stained with
blood. A bundle OF arrows contained
some wicked looking specimens about
five feet in length, made OF slender, hol-
low reeds and tipped with long points OF
bone. Some of the arrows had barbed
points the teeth finely cut and very
sharp, From their looks it appeared as
il they might easily be driven by q pow
erful bow clear through human body.
There were a number OF spears short but
heavy and sharp-pointed, and some OF
them were barbed for two feet Of their
length. Each barb was made OF a single
piece and bound upon the shaft with
cord. The weapons were OF many kinds
but all alike OF formidable appearance.
One of the most interesting weapons was
Maori mace, from New Zealand. 1t
was pearshaped, about foot in length
| and sharp on both edges. II was made
workmanship and proportions wsre real
ly beautiful.
IMPLEMENTS OF wARYARH.
One OF the bundles contained Q lot OF
war-clubs, in shape and size much like
cricket-bats. They were made Of wood
closely resembling mahogany, but much
heavier, and were handsomely carved.
Other clubs were iron-wool, and were
| simply carved balls upon handles.
Some OF the pieces OF South American
pottery were Of fine workmanship. A
flat, circular flask OF fine workmanship.
| A fat, circular flask OF fine red clay had
for neck beautifully car, ed head of a
| man with pointed beard. A curiously
shaped lamp from Chimbote, Peru, wal
of coarse clay nodded in the semblance
| of duck. One box contained q lot OF
| gourds, which were delicately carved in
curious designs. Another package CON
tanned a number of whales teeth, some
OF them in their natural roughness and
others beautifully polished. A smal
square bale of what appeared to be all
1 4 Is.